KEITH Curle says he plans on making life difficult for Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium tomorrow.

Carlisle United are a place below United in the Sky Bet League Two table and also have a fight on their hands to move away from the relegation zone.

Like Oxford, the Cumbrians are under no illusions about the magnitude of tomorrow’s clash, and manager Curle believes his side can frustrate the U’s and the home crowd.

He said: “Oxford will be wanting to win, but desperate not to get beat, and sometimes when you want something that bad it can have a negative effect.

“I’m not saying we’re going to go and play an open, expansive game.

“We’re going to make it difficult for them.”

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Curle continued: “I’m looking forward to it.

“The vibe from the changing room is the players are ready for it.

“It’s a big game and they want to play in it.”

Much has been made of the playing surface at the Kassam Stadium in recent months, but Curle is looking to take advantage of its width, rather than general condition.

He added: “In possession we need to make the pitch big and exploit some of the weaknesses we’ve identified that they have.

“I think it’s going to be a nervy encounter for both teams, and may be one of those games you don’t mind playing away from home.”